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A Turkish presidential administration official confirmed to Russian media that while it is difficult to predict the frequency of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, Türkiye's doors remain always open for mediation efforts.
"It is difficult to answer this question now. But as stated at the highest level, Türkiye's doors are always open for mediation," the representative of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration told RIA Novosti when asked about the potential regularity of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul.
Both Russian and Ukrainian delegations have arrived in Istanbul for the second round of direct negotiations scheduled to take place at Ciragan Palace on Monday at 1 p.m. local time (10 a.m. GMT).
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi confirmed the Ukrainian delegation's arrival, stating that the meeting is planned for the second half of the day. The Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul the previous day with the same composition as their previous negotiating group.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the Russian delegation is prepared to present a memorandum to the Ukrainian side outlining Moscow's position on all aspects of overcoming the root causes of the crisis.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko expressed hope that Ukraine will seriously consider the proposals Russia will present during the Istanbul negotiations.
"We hope that the Ukrainian side will take this seriously," Rudenko stated, adding that Russia expects more tangible results from this new round of negotiations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan plans to participate in the Russia-Ukraine negotiations at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, according to a Turkish diplomatic source who told RIA Novosti that Fidan "plans to join" the talks.
The involvement of Türkiye's top diplomat underscores Ankara's continued commitment to facilitating dialogue between the warring parties.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko emphasized that alternative venues to Istanbul for Russia-Ukraine negotiations are not currently needed, despite various other options being proposed internationally.
"Currently, our Chinese friends expect that the platform that exists and which both sides agree on, namely the Istanbul platform, is the very venue where there is a chance to reach agreement," Rudenko said during a Russia-China cooperation conference in Beijing.
While U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg suggested Geneva as a potential venue for future meetings, and Pope Leo XIV confirmed the Vatican's readiness to host Russia-Ukraine negotiations, Russian officials have expressed reservations about alternative locations.
Lavrov previously stated it would be uncomfortable and "inelegant" for the Vatican to host a meeting between Russia and Ukraine as two Orthodox countries, calling the scenario of them discussing issues on a Catholic platform unrealistic.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had mentioned Switzerland and the Vatican as potential venues for direct negotiations following his phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The exchange of memoranda represents one of the main expectations from the second meeting, building on agreements reached during the first round of talks.
Both sides previously agreed to present their visions of a possible future ceasefire following consultations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Russia has announced its readiness to work with Ukraine on a memorandum "regarding a possible future peace treaty with the definition of a number of positions."
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